Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-18
mExICAN.wAR VETERANS.
The Bill Finally Passes the House
Representative.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.

Especial telegram to the Dlspatch.l
WASHINGTON, ID. c., January H.
The following is the text of the bill
granting pensions to the soldiers and
sailors Of the Mexican war, which
passed the House this afternoon
BE IL enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives. Of tie
United States Of america IN Con
grcss assembled, That the Secretary of
the Interior be, and he is hereby, All
thorized and directed TO place on the
pension roll the names of the surviving
officers and enlisted men, including
marines, militia, and volunteers of the
military and naval services OF the
United States who, duly enlisted, ac-
tually served sixty days with Che army
or navy of the United States in Mex
leo, or on the coasts or frontier thereof,
or On route thereto, i'll the war with that
nation, or were actually engaged in a
battle in said war, and were
bonorably discharged, and to such
other officers and soldiers and
sailors as may have been personally
named in any resolution of Congress for
any specific service in said war, and the
surviving widows of such officers and en-
listed men: provided that such widows
have not remarked; provided that
every such officer, enlisted man, or
widow who is or may become sixty-two
wears of age, or who is or may become
subject to any disability or dependency
equivalent to some cause prescribed or
recognized by the pension laws OF the
United States as q sufficient reason for
the allowance of a pension, shall be en-
titled to the benefits of this act but 1t
shall not be held to include any person
not within the rule of age, or disability,
ordependency herein defined, or who in
CURED such disability while in any man
ner voluntarily engaged i'll or aiding or
abetting the late rebellion against the
authority of the United States.
Section 2. That pensions under sec
ton / of this act shall be ut the rate of
80 per month and payable only from
and after the passage Of this act for and
during the natural lives of the persons
entitled thereto, or during the cOntinu-
ance of the disability for which the
same shall be granted provided that
section l of this act shall not apply to
any person who is receiving a pension
at the rate of - per month or more,
nor to any person receiving pension
OF less than % per month, except for
the difference between the pension now
received Of less than 80 per month"; and
~ per month.
Section 3. That before the name OF
any person shall be placed on the pen
sion-roll under this act, proof shall be
made, under such rules and regulations
as the Secretary of the Interior may
prescribe, of the right of the applicant
to pension and any person who shall
falsely and corruptly take any oath re-
ouired under this act shall be found
guilty of perjury, and the Secretary of
the Interior shall cause to be stricken
from the pension-roll the name of any
person whenever it shall be made to APP
pear by proof satisfactory to him that
such name was put upon such
roll through false and fraudulent
representations, and that such
person is not entitled TO a
pension under this act. The loss of
the certificate of discharge shall not de-
prive any person of the benefits of this
act, but other record evidence of en-
listment and service, and of an honora-
bic discharge, may be deemed sutti-
cient: provided that when any person
has been granted a land-warrant under
any act of Congress, for and on ac-
count of service in the said war with
Mexico, such grant shall be 11riDtd-
focic evidence of his service and honor
able discharge; but such evidence shall
not be conclusive, and may be rebutted
by evidence that such land-warrant was
improperly granted.
Section 4. That the pension laws now
in force which are not inconsistent or
in conflict with this act are hereby made
IA part of this act so far as they may be
applicable thereto.
Section 5. That section 47l6 OF the
Revised Statutes is hereby repealed 50
far as the same relates to this act or to
pensioners under this act.
Section g. That the provisions of this
act shall not apply TO any person while
under political disabilities imposed by
the fourteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States.
The title was amended so as to read :
IAN act granting pensions TO the
soldiers and sailors of the Mexican war,
and for other purposes.
The bill passed with Senate amend
ments, and only requires the signature
of the President.